Tenuta San Guido: Home of Sassicaia, Italy’s Revolutionary Super Tuscan

A Marquis’s Vision

• The 2,500-hectare estate dates back to the 13th century, but its destiny shifted decisively in the 1940s.
• Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, a passionate admirer of great Bordeaux wines, dreamed of creating a wine worthy of the First Growths.
• He planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vines in Bolgheri—a revolutionary choice for Italy at the time.
• The early vintages (1948–1967) were produced solely for family consumption. The 1968, presented at an international blind tasting, stunned the wine world.

Sassicaia: The Legendary Wine

• A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Cabernet Franc (15%), aged in French oak barriques.
• The name “Sassicaia” means “place of stones” in the Tuscan dialect, referencing the stony vineyard soil—strikingly similar to the gravels of Bordeaux.
• Sassicaia’s signature aromas: cassis, blackberry, cedar, tobacco, Mediterranean herbs, with an elegant structure and an endlessly long finish.

International Recognition

• In 1994, Italy granted Sassicaia its own DOC—DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia—a unique honor unmatched anywhere else in the country.
• Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta received the “Premio alla Civiltà del Vino” in 2003, becoming the first Italian to earn this distinction.
• In 2004, Tenuta San Guido was elected a member of Primum Familiae Vini, the association of the world’s most prestigious wine families.
• Sassicaia regularly scores 95–100 points from critics and trades among the most expensive Italian wines on the market.

The Estate’s Wines

• Sassicaia: The grand vin, produced only in the finest years, approximately 150,000 bottles per vintage.
• Guidalberto: The second wine, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, crafted for earlier enjoyment and broader accessibility.
• Le Difese: The entry-level wine, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, offering an accessible introduction to the estate’s style.